The worst crime in Oklahoma history brought out the best in its people. 

Former state Governor Frank Keating shared that sentiment about the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing on Thursday at the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s State of the State at Arvest Convention Center. 

“Nobody wants to experience some horror and agony like we did in Oklahoma and Oklahoma City,” Keating said, alluding to the bombing that killed 168 people. “A lot of the national reporters came to me at the time and said, ‘Can you all handle this, rather patronizing? I think the answer was really the Oklahoma Standard.” 

Keating and fellow former Oklahoma Governor were part of a panel discussion moderated by Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who also delivered a State of the State address before a crowd of nearly 900. 

The event was presented by Spirit AeroSystems. 

Keating recalled an out-of-state aide, as federal officials and urban rescuers were leaving Oklahoma City 30 years ago, remarking on the kindness of Oklahomans by showing the then-governor a dollar bill.  

“`It’s the dollar I brought with me and it’s the exact same dollar I’m leaving with,’” Keating remembers the person saying. “`I never had to buy ice…I never had to buy food. I never had to eat out at a restaurant anywhere at any time and pay for it. It was all given to me and my colleagues by the wonderful people of Oklahoma.’”  

“…More than 300 buildings were damaged or destroyed and there was not one act of looting. Literally, crime stopped, hopefully as a result of the willingness of people to roll up their sleeves and do for others as they would hope others would do for them.” 
 

Like Keating (1995-2003), Fallin was a two-term governor (2011-19) who had to overcome state hurdles of her own. 

“I entered into Oklahoma as governor with two dollars and three cents in our savings account,” she said. “I had to think about our budget shortfall before I was even sworn into office – and high unemployment. So, we had a huge challenge ahead of us as a state.” 

During her tenure, Fallin concentrated on increasing the Rainy-Day fund, improving infrastructure and diversifying the economy.  

“It really struck home with me how we had to do everything we needed to do to turn Oklahoma around and do it on a stable, economic foundation,” Fallin said.  

“We knew that aerospace was growing and that was one of the areas we did focus on,” she said. “…So, when the oil and gas industry did take a downturn…then we took those engineers who worked in the oil and gas industry and put them in the aerospace industry, cross-trained them and helped them stay in the workforce and stay here.” 

During his address, Pinnell declared that the state of Oklahoma is strong.  

“Oklahoma is on the rise,” he said. 

Already this year, announced new capital investment in the state has reached $14 billion, nearly doubling the previous record for a year set in 2023, he said. 

The lieutenant governor also noted that in 2023, Oklahoma ranked eighth in the country in net migration growth, gaining more than 23,000 residents.  

“I am pressuring our Department of Commerce on a weekly basis to make sure we are talking to cranky CEOs and people that cannot afford a house and hate their commute times to tell them that the best quality of life that we now have is right here in Oklahoma,” Pinnell said. 

Improving infrastructure and supporting public school teachers also are high priorities for the state, he said. 

“Our teachers in the state of Oklahoma deserve respect moving forward in this state,” Pinnell said. “They need to be treated like the heroes that they are.”  

As for business, he said Oklahoma is emerging as a national leader in the aerospace industry, citing a recent $20 million investment by Agile Space Industries to build at the Tulsa International Airport. 

“It positions Tulsa as a premier location for space engine testing,” Pinnell said, “and truly creates a space cluster around the Tulsa airport moving northeast.”